"A new sun has risen in the sky, and the ninja world will experience unprecedented upheaval."
Ever since he heard this new prophecy from the Great Toad Sage, Jiraiya had been wandering from place to place, seeking inspiration.
Then came the news of the rebellion in the Mist Village and the defeat of Konoha and the Sand's alliance, accompanied by the growing infamy of the Akatsuki.
Jiraiya suddenly realized—wasn't the Akatsuki's name a metaphor for the rising sun? With the Akatsuki growing stronger and more influential, didn't this correspond to the prophecy of a new sun appearing in the sky?
In the past, Jiraiya's investigation into the Akatsuki was motivated by two reasons. First, the organization had been founded by his three disciples in the Land of Rain. However, with the news of their deaths, the continued existence of the Akatsuki became a perplexing mystery.
Second, he discovered that Konoha's S-rank rogue ninja, Itachi Uchiha, as well as his old friend Orochimaru, had joined the organization. Naturally, this piqued his concern.
But his investigations had yielded little progress for a long time, as the Akatsuki had operated in an extremely covert manner in the past.
Now, with the Akatsuki's shift to a more overt style, Jiraiya saw an opportunity for deeper investigation.
He had destroyed a base of the Akatsuki in a small country and, through interrogating the division's leader, gained a deeper understanding of the organization.
Now, his goal was to capture one of the Akatsuki's core members. If he could apprehend even one of them, he might be able to uncover a piece of the Akatsuki's mysterious puzzle.
Among the core members currently exposed, Jiraiya only knew of five: Orochimaru, Itachi Uchiha, Kisame Hoshigaki, Deidara, and Sasori.
Orochimaru was an old adversary, and Jiraiya doubted he could capture his slippery former friend.
Between the remaining two pairs, it was clear that Deidara and Sasori, whose abilities and intel had already been exposed, would be easier to handle.
However, taking on both of them at once was unrealistic. He needed to separate them, and between Deidara and Sasori, it was evident that temporarily sealing Sasori would be the better option.
If he tried to trap Deidara in the esophagus of the Great Toad of Rock Lodging, the entire toad might end up being blown to bits.
Thus, Jiraiya had tracked them and seized the opportunity when Deidara and Sasori were returning from their mission.
Back on the battlefield, Deidara threw out a flock of clay birds, attempting to take to the skies.
Having already studied Deidara's abilities and formulated a plan, Jiraiya wasn't about to let him succeed so easily.
"Ninja Art: Needle Jizo!"
Countless needles formed from Jiraiya's hair shot toward Deidara, delaying his movements.
At the same time, Jiraiya bit his thumb and quickly formed the seals for a summoning jutsu.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Boom!
A massive cloud of smoke dispersed, revealing three giant toads, each as large as a Tailed Beast—the Three Great Toads of Mount Myoboku.
There was Gamabunta, the smoking boss of Mount Myoboku; Gamaken, a reliable and balanced fighter but plagued by crippling self-doubt; and Gamahiro, the dual-wielding swordsman with exceptional kenjutsu skills.
"Hey, Jiraiya!" Gamabunta greeted. "Summoning all three of us at once? Looks like you're facing quite the opponent this time."
"Yeah," Jiraiya nodded. "The enemy defeated the Three-Tails' Jinchūriki, the Fourth Mizukage. Definitely no ordinary foe!"
"Such a strong opponent... Can I really handle this? I'm so useless!" Gamaken muttered, holding a large, platter-shaped shield in his left hand and a pitchfork-like weapon in his right, his face full of insecurity.
"Come on, Gamaken! Have some confidence!"
"Let's go!" Jiraiya urged.
Deidara, having recovered from the Needle Jizo, clapped his hands together and slowly pulled them apart, as if stretching noodles. From his hands, he pulled out clay worms, which rapidly grew to over ten meters long after being released. They easily shattered Jiraiya's Earth Release: Earthfall Cover.
C2 Standard Type: Rock Worms!
This was one of Deidara's latest creations, a new type of clay creature with enhanced burrowing capabilities, designed specifically for situations like this.
Next, Deidara spat out a massive lump of clay, which transformed into a giant snake.
"Hey! Isn't that the same as that slippery snake?"
C2 Enhanced Type: Manda!
"Jiraiya's Shock Value +2000"
"Gamabunta's Shock Value +1000"
"Gamaken's Shock Value..."
Gamabunta slashed at the clay Manda's neck with his short sword, but the snake's wounds quickly regenerated, its body coiling around Gamabunta and binding him tightly.
"Be careful! His clay creations can explode! A large one like this has power comparable to a Tailed Beast Ball!" Jiraiya warned.
Gamabunta's legs trembled in fear as he shouted, "Jiraiya, you bastard! Why didn't you say so earlier? I'm doomed!"
"Don't worry! As long as the enemy is within a certain range, a bomb that powerful would also kill him. What you should watch out for are the smaller clay creatures—they can self-detonate at any time!" Jiraiya explained.
"But even if they don't explode, how do we defeat something like this?"
"I can't breathe!" Gamabunta gasped, struggling as the clay Manda tightened its grip.
"His clay creatures must be cut completely in half, or they'll regenerate!" Jiraiya advised.
"I see! Leave it to me!" Gamahiro unsheathed his long sword and struck at the clay Manda's weak point. Unlike Gamabunta's short sword, Gamahiro's blade was long enough to slice the snake in two.
"Don't think it'll be that easy!"
"Ha!"
A clay rock worm burst out from the ground, blocking Gamahiro's attack. Deidara detonated it immediately. Although the explosion wasn't particularly powerful, the shockwave disrupted Gamahiro's movements, and the high temperature burned his stomach, causing him great discomfort.
"Gamahiro's Shock Value +1500"
"Jiraiya's Shock Value..."
"Water Release: Water Cleanse Wave!" Gamahiro quickly spewed cool water onto his burned stomach, alleviating the pain.
"Hey, Gamaken! Stop just standing there and help!" Gamabunta shouted, glancing at Gamaken.
Hearing this, Gamaken leaped into action, using his pitchfork to pry the clay Manda off Gamabunta, successfully freeing him.
"Because I'm so useless..." Gamaken muttered, even as he fought.
While the three toads battled the clay Manda, Jiraiya and Deidara's fight officially began.
"Fire Release: Flame Bullet!" A powerful Fire Release technique surged toward Deidara. Realizing he couldn't take to the skies for now, Deidara frantically chewed his clay and threw it to the ground.
C2 Special Type: Parasite Nest!
A swarm of clay parasite bugs flew out, intercepting Jiraiya's Fire Release. The resulting explosions created air currents that blocked the flames, allowing Deidara to retreat and create distance.
"You're not getting away!"
"Ninja Art: Wild Lion's Mane Technique!" Jiraiya's white hair extended wildly, attempting to ensnare Deidara.
Clay Serpent Hands!
Boom!
An explosion destroyed Jiraiya's Wild Lion's Mane, but his assault didn't stop. Another Jiraiya suddenly appeared on Deidara's left, a swirling chakra sphere in his hand.
"Rasengan!"
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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